Resource consents

Every day, people apply to their local council for resource consents to do things such as putting up a garage, subdividing their property, building a multi-storey apartment block, or taking water from a stream.

A consent often has conditions about how to carry out the activity, to avoid or reduce any adverse effects on the environment.

• Non-notified. The council may decide that there is no need for the general public to make submissions as the adverse effects from the proposed activity are ‘minor’ or ‘less than minor’.
• Publicly notified. The council may decide that a proposal will or is likely to have an effect on the environment that is “more than minor”, or that there are special circumstances. The council advertises it online, including a summary in the paper, where to view the application, and calls for submissions.
• Limited notification. The council notifies only those people it considers might be affected by a proposal (known as affected persons).